


A Helping Hand

by hayam



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Has Issues, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Anxiety Attacks, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Minor Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, One Shot, POV Mace Windu, Panic Attacks, Paranoia, Parental Mace Windu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25302427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayam/pseuds/hayam
Summary: Mace Windu was at a crossroads and whichever path he chose would ruin someone’s life.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Mace Windu, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 8
Kudos: 147





	A Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> Triggers: Anxiety Attacks

If one knew anything about Master Mace Windu, it was that he wasn’t the most supportive of Anakin Skywalker. He thought the late Master Qui-Gon Jinn was insane when he brought the then nine-year-old boy and claimed that he was the Chosen One and he still thought Master Jinn was crazy a little over a decade later. Yes, the boy was one of the best pilots he had ever seen and had dueling skills that could rival his own despite being only twenty-one years of age but he was arrogant, emotional, and unpredictable.

Traits that a Jedi, let alone the Chosen shouldn’t have.

Suddenly the 501st Captain walked inside his quarters.

“Hello General Windu,” the bleached blond Captain greeted,” General Skywalker wanted me to tell you that we are almost in

Mace sighed; he and Skywalker were the only generals on the mission and Anakin had made it quite difficult by refusing to talk with him. Only sending his clones to give and receive information. Mace knew he still held a grudge against him for expelling Ahsoka but it has been months. It was becoming absurd. Mace Windu was old enough to be the boy’s father and he didn’t have the energy to play these stupid games.

“And why couldn’t General Skywalker tell me this himself, Captain?”

Mace Windu couldn’t put his finger on the clone trooper's name.

“Um, he hasn’t been feeling well for a while,” the clone admitted.

Mace Windu knew that was a lie as he was a witness to Anakin decimating an entire force of droids without breaking a sweat.

“Well, I should check on him, if that is the case” Mace Windu stated.

The clone captain blocked the doorway.

“Maybe it is best for General Skywalker to have some privacy,” he suggested.

Mace Windu remembered the clone was the same one that tried covering for Anakin during the entire Rako Hardeen incident.

Mace gave him a glare.

“Move, Captain,” he demanded.

The clone reluctantly stepped to the side and Mace Windu walked towards Anakin’s quarters where he saw the 501st medic rubbing Skywalker’s back while another combed through his hair. Anakin seemed to be having a hard time breathing. His whole body was shaking and he was sweating.

“Get him the hell away from me, Rex!,” Anakin screamed.

A flash of cobalt blue entered Mace’s line of sight, so close until Mace felt the heat on his skin. He looked down and he saw Anakin’s lightsaber hilt hit the wall next to him.

“Just focus on breathing, General,” a clone that had a tattoo of the number five on his temple,” shh, ssh.”

Mace Windu was still reeling from the fact Anakin had nearly decapitated him. He didn’t see how the men were doting on Anakin when he was clearly unstable.

“What is wrong with him?!”

“Sometimes General Skywalker just get into these fits but he gets better every time” the medic reassured.

Mace looked at Anakin who had tears running down his face and his eyes darted around the room.

“Maybe it is best for you to leave him alone, General Windu,” the clone captain stated while closing the door.

“How often are these episodes?,” Mace asked.

“They had been happening every mission for the past few months,” Rex explained.

"And you didn't think of getting him some help, Captain?"

Captain Rex looked down at the floor and he crossed his arms.

"I tried but General Skywalker is not the most receptive to any conversation about therapy."

Mace snorted, he could imagine how that conversation could have gone. Maybe he should speak with the boy, himself.

“Just give him a sedative," he told him

“He isn't going to hurt anyone, General Windu," Rex urged, his light brown eyes filled with rage," General Skywalker is just having a panic attack."

Mace snorted.

“He tried taking off my head with his lightsaber or was that someone else?”

“Well, he never tried hurting us,” Rex corrected.

Because you didn't kick out his Padawan, Mace thought ruefully. Something told him that Anakin's anxiety was worsened by that event and Mace felt guilt enter his heart.

Mace glanced through the cracked door and he saw Anakin was hyperventilating yet again. Mace Windu could sense shatter points all over the boy's future and he hoped he chose the right one.

"Has it ever occurred to you that he could have an underlying disorder and these attacks are just a symptom?"

"I honestly don't know much about mental health, sir, so I am afraid I cannot answer that," Rex answered before leaving.

Mace Windu was at a crossroads and whichever path he chose would ruin someone’s life.

* * *

Anakin’s hands shook as he tried fixing the yellow speeder model. To the normal eye, they might think the model was already fixed perfectly but Anakin saw how there was a spot of dirt on the front windows. How the doors weren’t as even as it should have been. And he had to fix it. He couldn’t sleep until it was perfect.

A knock on the door distracted him and accidentally caused the even to be slightly more uneven. He slammed the speeder down and opened the door with the Force.

He saw Master Windu at the door. Anakin sighed, he wasn't Master Windu's biggest fan. In fact, being around the second most powerful council member just seemed unbearable as he was further reminded of how they betrayed Ahsoka for politics.

“Hello Anakin, I haven’t heard from you since our mission to Hoth.”

Anakin felt his face turn red as he remembered his panic attack on the ship a few days ago. It was way worse than the other ones he had before. He wished that he had Padme to wrap her small arms around her and tell her that everything will be okay. Or Ahsoka to pop up and tell him "to cheer up Skyguy" and they would go to the library archives together. Or Obi-Wan to take him out to Dex's diner and they would engorge themselves in whatever greasy food that Dexter could cook up. But they were on diplomatic missions, M.I.A, or on some battlefield.

“Yeah...sorry for throwing my lightsaber at you-I was just real...really out of it,” he spluttered out.

Mace frowned and Anakin didn’t know if it was disappointment or worry or both.

“I could tell,” Mace agreed as his brown eyes fixated on Anakin’s shaking hands,” how are you feeling now?”

Anakin placed his hands under the workbench.

“I’m fine...I’m fine now.”

On the mission since they lost a good amount of their men and one of the ships broke down and Anakin didn’t do anything about it. He just failed the men like he failed Ahsoka and how he failed the Order by not being a good “Chosen One”. His heart started beating like rapid blaster fire just thinking about it.

Mace gave him a dubious look before sitting on Anakin’s bed, pushing away Anakin's droid parts. Anakin just wished he had time to clean up a little more before Mace Windu's

“Your clone captain told me that this has been happening quite frequently and I’m wondering if you ever speak with anyone after these episodes?”

Anakin eyes glanced at the door that suddenly felt so far away. His legs shook but there was nowhere else to go.

“There is no need to Master, it’s nothing for you or anyone else to worry about,” Anakin stated through gritted teeth.

“I have set you up with an appointment with a psychiatrist in the healer's wings,” Mace Windu revealed.

“What?!”

“These episodes are not norm-," Mace paused before clearing his throat and corrected his statement, "healthy for you Anakin and I know somewhere you know that to be true."

“I appreciate your concern Master, but nothing is wrong with me," he stated calmly as possible even though he wanted to scream.

His mind had been running so much until he didn’t eat anything except a ration bar to keep from fainting, he used the Force to keep him awake and he occupied his free time with pacing down the halls until his legs turned numb. It was as if he was on the edge of the cliff, dancing, yet there was always the quiet whispers that reminded him how far the fall will be.

Mace gave him a stern look.

“I think it would be better for a professional to check you out.”

Anakin wished that his lightsaber aim was just a little closer to Mace Windu’s head and then he wouldn't have to be in this uncomfortable situation. He could not see a psychiatrist, that would make everyone distrust him even more. Or worse, pity him.

"You never liked me and now you are just trying to lock me away," Anakin concluded while reaching for his lightsaber, only to find it wasn't there. Where the hell was it?

Mace Windu blinked his eyes and stepped back.

"Excuse me, Skywalker?"

But the thoughts were already rushing through Anakin's mind.

"You would just love that, put me in a psych ward so could finally prove to the council that I wasn't fit to be a Jedi after all these years," Anakin continued while getting up.

"Anakin I know you and I may not see eye to eye but I am not trying to harm you," Mace Windu told him, slowly almost as if he was a child," it is hard to see you struggle with something and it must be hard for you to experience first hand?"

Anakin felt hot tears build up in his eyes but he rubbed them away. Master Windu was saying it like it was so simple like there was just some easy solution.

“I don't...I don't...," his voice tightened as the tears had made his way to his throat,"I don't want anyone-"

"I won't tell anyone," Master Windu promised while reaching out his hand.

And Anakin grabbed it.

**Author's Note:**

> I finally did an Anakin and Mace comfort fic!


End file.
